Pioil



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. BROWETT.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING, DAMPING, AND FIXING POSTAGE STAMPS, 8:0.

mm PatentedApr. 27, 1886.

I l l l l I i I I I s l l l l I l l u l n. PETERS. Plmmumcgmphev, washin a. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' A. BROWETT.

APPARATUS FOR SBPARATING, DAMPING, AND FIXING POSTAGE STAMPS, 8w. No. 340,856. Patented Apr. 27, 1886.

FIG. 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ ALEG BROXVETT, OF 161 HIGHBURY HILL, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING, DAMPlNG, AND FIXING POSTAGE-STAMPS, do.

@FBC-IFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,856, dated April 27, 1886.

Application iiled March 18, 1885. Serial No.159,349. (No model.) Patented in England February 12, 1985, No.1,976; in France February 18, 1885, No. 167,131; in Belgium February 1!), 1885, No. 67,931, and in Germany February 24, 1895, No, 232,182.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Anne Beowe'rr, engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at 161 Highbury Hill, in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain Improvements in Ap paratus for Separating, Damping, and Fixing PostageStamps or other Labels, (for which I have obtained British Patent No. 1,976, dated February 12,1885; French PatentNo. 167,131, dated February 18, 1885; Belgian Patent, No. 67,931, dated February 1.), 1885, and German Patent No. 32,382, dated February 21, 1885,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and convenient apparatus for separating postagestamps or other labels singly from a sheet or strip, damping the same, and affixing them onto letters or other surfaces.

I will describe myinvention with referen e to the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figurel of which is a plan of the table or platform of the apparatus upon which the sheet or strip of stamps or labels is placed in position to be separated and damped, as hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the table, the section being taken along the line 1 2 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a similar section taken along theline3 l-,Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a vertical section of the instrument used in conjunction with the said table for effecting the separation of the stamps or labels singly from the sheet or strip, effecting the damping of the separated stamps or labels,and afterward the aiiixing of them onto letters or othersurfaces. Fig. 5 is a vertical section, at right angles to Fig. 4,01. the lower portion of the said instrument, and Fig. 6 is a plan of the under side or face of the said instrument.

The sheet of stamps or labels is placed on the surface of the table A, with the gummed side downward or next the table,aud with the corner stamp or label of the sheet or the end stamp or label of a strip of stamps inserted in a slit or opening, a, providedbetween the surface of the table and a guide, 13, secured thereto, which guide is for the purpose of insuring the stamp or label to be separated being placed in the correct position to be severed by the instrument, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, as herein- This guide may be formed in severed sides of the corner stamp or label.

This cutter is fixed in a recess in the table A, with itscutti ng-edgelevel with orslightlybelow the surface thereof, so as to prevent it from interfering with the feeding up of the stamp or label to be severed from the sheet or strip.

\Vithin this cutter is fitted a piece or block of absorbent material or substance. D, (pumicestone is, I believe, the most suitable substance for the purpose) the upper surface of which is maintained in a wet condition by capillary attraction, the lower part of the block being immersed in water contained in a trough or.

reservoir, E, fixed to the under side of the table A and supplied with water through an opening, I), closed by a suitable plug orstopper, 0.

The block D is provided with a cylindrical or other passage or chamber, F, in which is fitted to work a piston, G. The face of this piston is normally maintained above the surface of the block 1) by a spring, (1, hearing at one end against the under side of the head of the piston and at its opposite end against a collar, 6, fixed in the chamber or passage F, which collar also serves as a guide to the stem f of the piston G. The height to which the piston G is made to project above the block D may conveniently be regulated as desired by a cap, 9, screwed more or less onto the stem f, the said cap, in the normal position of the piston, bearing against a nut, 72, which holds the cylinder or chamber F in position.

The corner stamp or label of asheet or strip having been placed in position in the guide B, as hereinbefore described, the plunger H of the instrument, Fig. 1, is inserted in the guide B. The edges t of the face of this 9 plunger form a cutting-edge sliding inside and in contact with the cutter C, so as to operate therewith,after the manner of shears, to separate when depressed the stamp or label from the sheet or strip. The stamp or label thus separated from the sheet orstri p is by the further depression of the instrument, Fig. 4, pressed against the top surface of the block D, whereby the gummed-surface of thestamp is damped. The piston G is by the descent of the plunger II forced into the cylinder F, the spring (1 being consequently compressed. A passage, 7c, is formed through the plunger H, communicating with a tubular stem, I, fixed to the rear of the said plunger and having fixed to its upper end a collapsible structure or vessel-such, for example, as a hollow ball or chamber, K, of india rubber or other suitable flexible material inclosed in an outer casing, Lwhich forms the handle or knob by means of which the plunger H is depressed. This casing is fitted to slide on the tubular stem I, and in or over the correspondinglyformed extension ,H, of the plunger, a spring, M, being interposed between the said plunger and the casing L, which tends to separate them from each other.

Vhen pressure is exerted upon the knob L for the purpose of separating the stamp or label from the sheet or strip and of pressing it onto the damping-block D,the casing is caused to slide on the tubular stem I and cylindrical portion H of the plunger, whereby the flexible ball or chamber K and the spring M are compressed and the air contained in the fieXi-' ble chamber is forced therefrom through the tubular stein I, and passage 7:, inthe plunger, thence through the branch passage k,and past the spring-valve 7d. Vhen pressure is removed from the plungerand the plunger raised from the block D, the vacuum caused or snc tion exerted by the tendency of the collapsible vessel or ball K to return to its original position will cause the damped stamp or label to adhere to the plunger, the removal of the damped stamp or label from the blocl; D being facilitated by the simultaneous rising of the piston G by the expansion of the spring (1. The plunger, with the damped stamp or label adhering thereto is then removed from the guide B and pressed upon the letter or other surface to which the stamp or label is to be affixed. The pressure exerted upon the knob K for this purpose will cause the vacuum or power of suction previously formed to be destroyed by admitting air through the limits without departing from the nature of my invention.

I claim 1. The combination of the table carrying a cutterand a moistening block, with a corresponding plunger constructed to cause the stamps or labels to adhere to the plunger, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of aplunger constructed to cause the stamp to adhere thereto, with a table carrying a cutter and a moisteningblock, and a guide, B, overlying the cutter to facilitate the separation of the stamp from the sheet on the withdrawal of the plunger with the adherent stamp.

3. The combination of aplunger constructed to cause the stamps to adhere thereto, with a table carryinga cutter, a guide B,and 'a spring plunger, G, to facilitate the separation of the stamp.

4. The combination of a plunger constructed to cause the stamps to adhere thereto, with a table having a capillary moistening-block, D, spring-plunger G, and cutter, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEo BROWETT.

\Vitnesscs:

CHAS. MILLs, CHAS. JAS. J oNEs, Both of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields, London.

AJKAL4 44 .4.44.. l. i 

